Caroline Plansky had 17 points and nine rebounds Friday as the Clippers beat the Bulldogs, 64-52, at home.

Chris McDaniel cmcdaniel@wickedlocal.com @ChrisMcDaniel88

NORWELL – The Norwell High girls basketball team did much more than play the role of spoiler on Friday night.

With a 64-52 win over Rockland, the Clippers not only stopped the Bulldogs from clinching a division title, they also qualified for the tournament.

Rockland and Norwell are now tied in the loss column for first place in the South Shore League Sullivan Division. If Norwell (9-4, 9-2) and Rockland (12-4, 10-2) both win their final league games – Rockland has one remaining, Norwell has two – they will share the title.

“Because we have such a tough road to get back into it, we didn’t really talk about the league (title),” said Norwell coach Matt Marani. “It was more just about playing the top opponent in Rockland. Obviously, we are happy that we’re in contention, but that really wasn’t our focus going in.”

In the fourth quarter, Rockland junior Erika Ochenduszko (10 points, nine rebounds) hit a free throw to bring the Bulldogs within two (46-44) with just under seven minutes remaining.

The Clippers pulled away with three consecutive 3-pointers. Senior captain Caroline Plansky drained the first two off feeds from Kristin Vierra, and senior captain Casey Grant (eight points) drained the final one to put Norwell up, 55-44, with just over five minutes to play.

Rockland held Norwell to two free throws over the next five minutes and cut the deficit to 57-52, but the Clippers went 7-for-9 at the free-throw line in the closing seconds.

“Our defense was the whole problem,” said Rockland coach Diana Mitchell. “Senior, junior, freshman, I don’t care what you are, you’ve got to play defense at the varsity level.”

Plansky led all scorers with 17 points and added nine rebounds.

“The last couple of weeks Caroline has really picked up her game,” said Marani. “Offensively, she’s just using her physicality more.”

Norwell has typically relied on Plansky and Vierra (15 points) for the vast majority of its offense this season, but on Friday five other plays registered three or more points.

Senior Grace Connerty finished with 10 points, including two 3-pointers, while sophomore Bridget Coffey added six points. Freshman Caroline Kenney scored four points in her first major varsity minutes.

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